Rotherham United 2-2 Burnley: Late Millers goal delays Clarets' title win

Scott Twine scores for BurnleyImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

Scott Twine's goal for Burnley was just his second since his summer move from Milton Keynes Dons for a fee reportedly in excess of £4m

Burnley were made to wait to clinch the Championship title after being held to a 2-2 draw at Rotherham.

Having ensured an immediate return to the Premier League 11 days ago, Scott Twine's left-footed volley from the edge of the box gave the Clarets the lead.

Shane Ferguson's inswinging corner on the stroke of half-time bamboozled Burnley with Vininho getting the final touch as he put the ball into his own net.

The away fans were celebrating after Manuel Benson's superb curling left-footed effort into the top left corner restored the lead, but Georgie Kelly equalised from close range with five minutes to go.

The draw means Vincent Kompany's team - who are 10 points clear of second-placed Sheffield United - still need one more win to secure the title with four games to go.

A point - which also denied Burnley a chance of breaking the Championship record for points won in a season - keeps the Millers in 18th place four points clear of the relegation places.

Connor Roberts had a low sixth-minute effort for the visitors saved by the legs of Josh Vickers after good build-up play down the left by Anass Zaroury.

The Millers had a penalty claim for handball turned down and soon after fell behind when Roberts's looping cross from the left was met by a controlled finish from Twine for just his second Burnley goal after his summer move from Milton Keynes Dons.

Two minutes later it could have been 2-0 had Vitinho's curling effort been the other side of the post after a mix-up between Vickers and his defenders on the edge of the box.

Burnley felt they should have had a penalty six minutes before the break when Josh Cullen's shot appeared to be blocked by the arm of Jamie Lindsay and the Millers levelled with a fortuitous equaliser from Ferguson's corner.

Rotherham keeper Vickers was unable to take goal-kicks towards the end of the half and the Millers' second-choice stopper was replaced by 21-year-old Robbie Hemfrey, who was making his first appearance as a professional.

He was called into action in the opening minute of the half as he saved Johann Berg Gudmundsson's shot before palming away a Roberts effort 10 minutes later.

Gudmundsson then saw a 69th-minute header whistle past Hemfry's near post and Twine also went close but they finally found a way through with Benson's superb effort, but Kelly side-footed home from Chiedozie Ogbene's cross as Rotherham ended strongly.

Ogbene and Tarique Fosu forced late saves from Bailey Peacock-Farrell as the Millers pushed in vain for a winner, but had to settle for a point.

Rotherham manager Matt Taylor:

"The goalkeeper getting injured in the first half, being unable to take goal-kicks and coming off at half-time, losing Jordan Hugill to injury, going behind twice, the spirit we showed was outstanding.

"They were the better team, they have better quality players, but I thought we deserved something and it was important we got something to improve that belief.

"They are giving everything, they have done all season, even when we don't look like we are playing well. We need to help them with their bodies and help with more quality, but that spirit was just there for everyone to see."

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I feel sorry for the lads because they deserved more. It really was a tremendous performance. You've always got the risk of standards dropping and there wasn't any of that.

"You're going to get cagey moments if you don't finish off your chances. We've got to kill the game off. It doesn't make sense: we scored with our two hardest chances and didn't seem to put it in the net with every unbelievable opportunity we had.

"It's nothing to complain about. We've got the same outcome on Saturday that we wanted. That's exciting."

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